Calculus...difficult??

Discussion in 'Chit-Chat' started by LazyBuddy, Feb 12, 2003.

  1. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    Sorry to be off topic, but want to give a little bit suggestion on "course selecting" for high school members here:

    1. Advanced courses are good, but don't rush. If you think you can handle 2, don't rush and squeeze yourself for 4. It'll be much better to really learn something (prepare for college courses) and get better grades in less courses, than torture urself and learn less in more courses.

    2. As a math/physics TA (teaching assistant) in college back then, I think the advanced math in high school is much more useful than advanced physics.
    2.1 If ur college major requries physics, college most likely will force u to retake physcis, and different majors might focus on totally different material. But math is always the tool there.
    2.2 If ur college major does not require physcis at all (art, business, economics, history, psychology, etc), then, why bother to spend sooo much time and energy in high school?

    3. Math is a fundamental course for everything, if u have to choose limited # of advanced courses, math will never be a wrong choice.
     
  2. Jus_anothr_grl

    Jus_anothr_grl Regular Member

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    is calculus really hard? cause I gotta take that next year in gr 11...:confused:
     
  3. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    It's really depends on ur current situation.

    If u r good in math, say, always average 90+ in almost every math related course, I don't see any problem as long as you keep up with good work.

    However, if u generally have difficulties with math (sorry to say, but a lot of ppl do), you might consider to just take some more entry level calculas, or further strength ur fundamental, and wait for college time.

    In US, calculas (entry level) is required in almost every major in college.

    Overall, it's a decision should be made by urself, after carefully evalute your own status (might need to ask for advice from ur teachers, too). Don't just select a course, when everyone says "yeah" or "no", but u have no idea about what is going on.
     
  4. Joseph

    Joseph Regular Member

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    Calculus is very simple. If you know your algebra and know how to use a calculator, then you'll be fine. I'm in the 11th grade right now, took Calculus AB back in 10th...now in Calculus BC...:(

    And if you need help with hw, just post up the problem here and we can probably help you :p
     
  5. cooler

    cooler Regular Member

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    don't fear it, calculus is not that bad.
     
  6. TOmike

    TOmike Regular Member

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    perhaps not a lot of you are familiar with ontario's reformed education system

    we recently got rid of OAC.. grade 13..

    this year's graduates are so many that many of them... i can't give a percentage, but u can know for sure its a large percent, will not enter university.

    this is where i come in

    i am screwed
    next year i will not only be competiting with my fellow classmates for a spot in university, but also those who did not make it the first time around, and are going for a second try... thats a whole lot of competition... and the universities are only expanding so much to accomodate this change.. so the chances are still not good..

    lol, long post.. should be working lol.
     
  7. Joanne

    Joanne Regular Member

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    WHAT ON EARTH ARE YOU ALL TALKING ABOUT?!!! lol.
     
  8. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    Calculas is surely not too hard (at least, in high school level), espeically if u have very soild math background. It will become more and more complicated into more advanced level, and of course, in college, harder...

    Lol... "very simple"??? 1st time ever heard ppl say something like this. u must be good...

    Post hw and ask for solutions here? Maybe we should get another sub-forum, say, "HW - Need help!!!"... :D
     
  9. Pecheur

    Pecheur Regular Member

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    Bleh US college calculus 101 is a lower standard than Oz, UK or HK high school calculus :p

    PS The hardest thing about high school level calculus is spelling it correctly ;)
     
  10. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    100% agree with ur idea, especially the "spelling" issue. :D

    Ok, me no math, me no english, guess only a little bit baddy left now... :( :eek: ;)
     
  11. Nanashi

    Nanashi Regular Member

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    well... i figure calculus (and math in general) is easy as long as you understand the concept and if you understand why you are doing what you are doing..... take me for example... i sit in class and make smart ass comments EVERY class... (literally... ask any of my classmates) and yet i just listen to the teachers lessons and at the end of the day i understand what's going on.... so i receive fairly high marks in math while doing next to nothing..... so my advice is to understand.... that is the most important area of math... if you don't understand and simply do as you are told, you'll find math very hard....
     
  12. Cheung

    Cheung Moderator

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    Totally agree. Another method that helped me was to do loads of past exam questions. That helped beat into me how to apply the concepts.

    Actually, I was only so-so at maths until I started trying lots more past questions. After doing a few, it started becoming simpler....I got better marks the more complicated things got.

    as for Pecheur's comparison about the standards between N America and the rest of the world, I would like to know how old you guys are when starting to do calculus.

    I was in UK and started off with differentiation at 15 years old. What age were you, and where in the world, when you started?
     
  13. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    I started cal. in US around 16, then continue that in college (of course, more advanced level ones).

    Generally doing well, but maybe not as superior as the rest of ur guys.
     
  14. JChen99

    JChen99 Regular Member

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    It depends on what you're good at!
    For me, anything besides Chem and Bio is HELLA HARD! it takes me FOREVER to get those stoopid Calc derivitives and integrals... same with physics. However, if I hav a grasp of the stuff we're doing, I can still luck out and do not so badly for my midterms/finals
    For Bio and Chem iz different, even if I dont study, jus going to lectures(with textbook opened in front of me, and not taking notes) will already provide me with a passing(semi-passing) mark, all I have to do is memorize some names/formulae and it'll give me a sure pass. I dont know about actual studying however because for all my life I havn't learned what "studying" means (according to my dad :D)

    My dad considers me a disgrace for being really bad at calculus,(cuz most if not all azns tend to be really good at math/calc) o well, not everyone's perfect! All I gotta say is "Some people are good at one thing while others are good at another, it's wut makes us us!" If there IS one person out there that's good at every singles subject (including sports etc etc) there is on this world, he must be a genius and have a baseball field sized brain and rock hard body!... hey! it IS superhuman! :D jus look at Einstine, he's considered a genius, but I doubt he knows everythign there is to know about Biology! ^^"
     
  15. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    Jealous....

    Bio is the only science used to make my life in hell. Just seems I can't remember / understand anything the teachers taught in class.

    No, I am not stupid, and my IQ is not 25... I got A in Calculus... ;)
     
  16. JChen99

    JChen99 Regular Member

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    wut r u jealous at!?:mad: I did sooo bad in calc ><
    hehe :p
     
  17. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    Well, mom used to dream that I can be a doctor one day... but I can never pass Bio...

    So, instead of doing operation on human bodies, I picked my major to operate on circuit cards - engineering...

    hehehehhehe... guess she's a little bit disappointed in me somehow...
     
  18. TOmike

    TOmike Regular Member

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    hah i am your inverse. i can memorize and use words but cannot do math for crap. things just don't click in my brain. i'm a banana :(
     
  19. bigredlemon

    bigredlemon Regular Member

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    Calculus may be more useful in college, but physics is more useful in real life... and it's a lot more interesting. You'd be surprised how often we use macro physics, optics, etc in real life. A lot more interesting too. Especially the angular momentum trick ;)
     
  20. LazyBuddy

    LazyBuddy Regular Member

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    While, but math is called as the "fundamental of all science".... :D
     

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